The White House at Work

Thursday, April 3, 1997The Best Education, Stronger Families,and A More Secure World

WEDNESDAY: CALIFORNIA ENDORSES NATIONAL EDUCATION STANDARDSYesterday, California joined with Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina and America's military schools in support of President Clinton's plan for national education standards.

With the endorsement of California Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin, states and school systems that educate nearly 20% of America's school children are now on the road to measuring their students against high national standards.

240 of America's high-tech industry leaders endorsed the President's plan as well -- and pledged to write to every governor, every state school board and every state education leader to urge the adoption of national standards across America.

In the two months since the President challenged every state to adopt high national standards, testing every 4th grader in reading and every 8th grader in math, support has come from Republicans and Democrats, teachers and business people, parents and educators -- because we all have a stake in giving our children the best education.

TUESDAY: PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM HARMFUL INFLUENCES BY TAKING ACTION TO CURB LIQUOR ADSIn response to the liquor industry's reversal of their 50-year voluntary ban on TV ads, the President urges responsibility and takes action:

The President urges the liquor industry to rethink its decision and keep the ban, for the sake of America's parents and young people.

The President asks the FCC to explore the effects on children of the hard liquor industry's decision to advertise on television, and determine the appropriate action in response.

TOMORROW: WORKING TO ELIMINATE CHEMICAL WEAPONSThis Friday, the President will join with bipartisan leaders to urge Senate ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention by the April 29 deadline:

It will require other countries to do what we are already doing -- eliminate chemical weapons.

Ratifying the Convention will protect our troops in the field, make it harder for terrorists to obtain chemical weapons, and help punish rogue states that use them.